As massive protests against police brutality spread across Texas and other states, prominent conservative power broker Steve Hotze is calling on Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) to order the National Guard to “shoot to kill” protesters who were demonstrating against systemic racism after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
“I want you to give a message to the governor,” Hotze told Abbott’s chief of staff, Luis Saenz, in a voicemail obtained by the Texas Tribune.
“I want to make sure that he has National Guard down here and they have the order to shoot to kill if any of these son-of-a-bitch people start rioting like they have in Dallas, start tearing down businesses — shoot to kill the son of a bitches. That’s the only way you restore order. Kill ‘em. Thank you” he said.
The voicemail came several days after Abbott activated the Texas National Guard as some of the protests became violent.
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It is unclear whether Saenz responded, and Abbott’s office declined to comment on the voicemail.
Hotze, an ardent supporter of President Donald Trump, is one of the most prolific culture warriors on the right in Texas. He is a fierce opponent of same-sex marriage and was a key figure in the 2015 defeat of Houston’s nondiscrimination ordinance — and then in the unsuccessful push for the 2017 “bathroom bill” in the Texas Legislature.
Listen to the voicemail here.
A Hotze spokesperson said he was not immediately available for comment.
